Independent Cryptic #12179

2025-10-21

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Across

6a

Horny blighter really enjoyed being turned over (5)

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7a

S Kind of Blue o (7)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:

Last letter of [mile] S , then LOW-ISH (a bit unhappy = kind of blue). As in “business has been somewhat quiet this morning”.

9a

Picking up gun rich sap gets the shakes (10)

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10a

Award Jesus stuck on Hoskins after a change of ways (4)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:

MY (my! = an exclamation of surprise; some people use the name of Jesus in the same way), added to ME (Hoskins, our crossword setter) reversed (after a change of ways). Name of a US television industry award.

11a

A soft and thick congealed lump of dope (4)

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12a

Times everybody will go to medium without any doubt (10)

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14a

Yours truly will punch senior teacher (3)

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16a

Rowdy type seen with a motorcycle messenger (5)

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18a

Ruddy cut having necked last of molly and grass (3)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:

RE [d] (ruddy) without the last letter (cut), containing the last letter of [moll] Y . (It seems molly is street slang for MDMA or associated illegal drugs, but the dictionaries may not have caught up with that yet.) Rye = a type of coarse grass.

20a

Lawyer ultimately probing model at High Court? (10)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:

Last letter (ultimately) of [lawye] R , inserted into (probing) POSE (model = be photographed), then an anagram (high = intoxicated) of COURT . Clue-as-definition.

23a

Writer of national importance blackballed in hearing (4)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:

Sound-alike (in hearing) of BARRED (blackballed = prevented from joining an organisation). Either Shakespeare as the “Bard of Avon”, or a title given to a prize-winning writer at the National Eisteddfod in Wales.

24a

Old person about to break hip getting bit of action (4)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:

C (abbreviation for Latin circa = about = approximately), inserted into (breaking) IN (hip = fashionable) + first letter (a bit) of A [ction]. A person from a historic empire in South America.

25a

Hence trial off? (10)

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27a

Posh hubby drops billion for parking in London area (7)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:

[b] ECKHAM (former footballer David Beckham, hubby of Victoria who is also known as Posh Spice or just Posh for short), with the B (abbreviation for billion) replaced by P (abbreviation for parking).

28a

Fiery emission from box close to firework (5)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:

SPAR (box, as a verb = fight using the fists) + last (closing) letter of [firewor] K .

Down

1d

Winger is a state missing one shot ultimately (6)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:

A (from clue text) + VO [i] CE (as a verb = state, as in “to voice one’s opinion”) without the I (Roman numeral for one), then the last letter (ultimately) of [sho] T . Winger = creature that flies on wings, in this case a wetland bird.

2d

Palace player prone to histrionics a large supporter grabs (8)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:

HAM (unsubtle amateur actor = player prone to histrionics), contained in (. . . grabs) A + L (abbreviation for large) + BRA (supporter for the breasts). Historic palace in southern Spain.

3d

When to have rumpy-pumpy? After serving up wine! (4)

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4d

Man and his best friend touring uni by a lake (6)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:

DOG (proverbially man’s best friend) around U (uni = abbreviaiton for university), then A + L (abbreviation for a lake). A man’s name.

5d

Sentence given to a grasping English type like Jeffrey Archer (8)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:

LIFE (short for a life sentence in prison) + PER (a = for each, as in “once per day”), containing (grasping) E (abbreviation for English). Baron Archer of Weston-super-Mare, novelist and former politician; a hint of an extended definition because his somewhat chequered career has included a prison sentence (though not for life).

6d

Party girl mostly seen around high-class German capital (7)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:

DO (slang for a party) + LAS [s] (girl) without the last letter (mostly), around U (high-class, as in “U and non-U”) + G (abbreviation for German, as in the old GDR). Capital of the Isle of Man.

8d

You are one with nasty odour and must repel date (5)

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13d

A bit off the back of dormer caught burglar's tongue (5)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:

A + end letter (a bit off the back) of [dorme] R + GOT (caught). A private language (tongue) used by a specific group of people, especially by thieves.

15d

Investigation ruined Archer Evening Standard originally admitted (8)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:

Anagram (ruined) of ARCHER , containing (admitting) the first letters (originally) of E [vening] S [tandard]. For the surface, see above under 5d.

17d

Broadcaster's description of head of SEAT's charity? (8)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:

Sound-alike (broadcaster’s description) of the LARGE S which is the start (head) of SEAT. Largesse = generosity with money or kindness.

19d

Designate rake perverted after cuddling lively ram (7)

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21d

A Parisian enthralled by game Penny’s approach (5)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:

UN (“a” in French, so Parisian) contained in (enthralled by) RU (abbreviation for the game of Rugby Union), then P (abbreviation for penny).

22d

Briefly get on well with European eating hot chestnut? (6)

Generating...

I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:

CLIC [k] (slang for get on well with someone) without the last letter (briefly) + E (abbreviation for European), containing (eating) H (abbreviation for hot). Cliche = chestnut = an over-used phrase or concept.

23d

Song and dance made this crossword writer put out (6)

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26d

Drug test requires reviewing weighty reading material (4)

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